NYC LIFE: Fun Summer Things and Upcoming Fall Events
Central Park is celebrating a few movies filmed in NYC at their annual FREE summer film festival. Can you name NYC’s oldest house? It’s the Morris-Jumel Mansion and there’s lots going on there. If you love touring mansions, here’s an easy one day jaunt out of NYC to Teddy Roosevelt’s home in Oyster Bay, Long Island. Another great summer day trip is a visit to the Bronx Zoo. So many great things to do in and around this great city of ours. Fall is just around the corner, and our 3T Wine Trip is filling up fast. And get your tickets now for an evening of opera to support the Dense Breast Organization. Details below.
Aug. 22-27. Central Park Film Festival.
Did you know over 300 movies have filmed scenes in Central Park? Each year in August, the Central Park Conservancy hosts a week of free evening film screenings. Take a tour of New York City’s neighborhoods through movies at the 2016 Central Park Conservancy Film Festival, which will be hosted in Central Park and Marcus Garvey Park as part of the Conservancy’s ongoing commitment to support parks throughout the City. This year’s films (with Central Park scenes) include: Tootsie, Desperately Seeking Susan, and School of Rock.
The Film Festival is FREE. Tickets are not required. Gates open at 6:30 pm |DJ from 6:30 pm until movie starts at 8:00 pm. Cool Haus Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches and Andy’s Italian Ices available for purchase. Please Note: All seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Get more details.
NYC’s Oldest House
Where have we been? We just learned about The Morris-Jumel Mansion in Washington Heights that was built in 1765 as a summer villa, by Colonel Roger Morris and his wife, Mary Philipse. It was named “Mount Morris” and was one of the highest points in Manhattan and offered clear views of New Jersey, Connecticut, and all of New York harbor. They offer docent led tours, yoga, film screenings, exhibitions and more, all the time. Get the details.
The Bronx Zoo – Travel the World without Leaving the Coty
This is one of favorite places to visit just about any time of the year. It’s home to thousands of animals, from aardvarks to zebras. And they keep adding new attractions, like the 4-D Theater, Bug Carousel, Congo Gorilla Forest and JungleWorld. Stop by the new Farmyard to meet, greet and pet goats, sheep and donkeys. Hop aboard the Wild Asia Monorail and journey through the heart of the Asian wilderness to see red pandas, elephants and rhinos. You’ll feel a million miles away without ever leaving the city. Get more details.
Sagamore Hill – The Summer White House
Hop on the LIRR to Oyster Bay (or drive there) for a tour of the beautiful grounds and newly restored Sagamore Hill that was the home of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, from 1885 until his death in 1919. This was Roosevelt’s “Summer White House” when he was in office and where his 6 children were raised and his niece Eleanor Roosevelt spent summers there. The house was recently re-opened after 4 years of renovations. Explore the natural surroundings and become inspired by the legacy of one of America’s most popular presidents. You can walk the grounds and get a guide tour for free. To tour the home, buy tickets in advance.
Sept. 29. An Evening of Opera That Could Save Lives
Did you know that cancer is 4-6 times more likely in women with extremely dense breasts than in women with fatty breasts, and mammograms will miss 50% of cancers in women with dense breasts? This is some of the invaluable information that is provided to women via the Dense Breast organization via their new web site. An Evening at the Opera featuring MET singer Ross Benoliel is a unique evening to benefit this organization and it’s potentially lifesaving information.
Check in every Saturday to get fun ideas on things to do in NYC from events to fundraisers, and lots of free things to do too NYC Events.
As an NYC tour guide, I have to correct your notation about the Morris Jumel Mansion … it is the oldest home in Manhattan, not NYC … the Wycoff house in Brooklyn pre-dates it by more than 100 years (1652), as does several other sites across the boroughs.
In addition to the facts you mentioned, the house’s most notorious resident (a tomato herself) was Eliza Jumel, the pre-incarnation of Scarlett O’Hara, a beautiful and scandalous woman of New York’s Revolutionary period, who marrked Aaron Burr in the front parlour and subsequently hired Alexander Hamilton Jr. to represent her in her divorce from Mr. Burr. She died at 90 in the house, one of the richest women in America, and some say her spirit continues to linger there. He r story alone is worth the visit and her still-intact bedroom furniture (from the French court of Napoleon) is to die for.
Hi Amanda,
First, thanks for correcting our error and for all this great additional info!!! It’s on our list for sure.